Cameraman Covering Story Of Dangerous Intersection Killed
POSTED: 11:24 pm EDT June 10, 2004
UPDATED: 3:16 pm EDT June 11, 2004
OMAHA, Neb. -- A television cameraman was hit and killed by a car -- while taping a news story about a dangerous intersection in Omaha Thursday afternoon.
Photographer Jeff Frolio, (pictured) died at a hospital after being struck while on assignment for Omaha TV station KETV. He was struck by a vehicle near 222nd Street and West Center Road. Frolio was apparently crossing the intersection to retrieve a tape from his car when he was hit by oncoming traffic. The driver who hit Frolio didn't realize she hit someone until she looked in her rear-view mirror. She said she'd only seen a blur. Police said she wasn't drinking or speeding."She didn't realize she had struck an individual until after she looked in the mirror. So it happened awfully quick," Glandt said. 
Investigators said the crash appears to be accidental and don't expect to ticket the driver. There is no evidence of excess speed or alcohol use, investigators said.Frolio was covering the story of two teens who were killed at that intersection last month. The speed limit of the highway is 60 miles an hour. The intersection is located on a hilltop and is heavily traveled.Frolio's camera marked the spot where the accident happened, just after 5 p.m. Police believe he was focused on a memorial left to the Elkhorn teens when he was hit."He was running across the street with his camera, I believe, to get more footage of the memorial," said Lt. Steve Glandt, with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.
Frolio was stabilized by rescuers on the scene, but died later at Creighton University Medical Center.The mother of one of the Elkhorn teens happened by the scene. It was too much for her, and she collapsed and was taken to a hospital.Frolio was chosen as the Nebraska Television Photographer of the Year twice in his career.He began his career at KETV in 1984. His work locker proudly tracks his 22 years in photojournalism, including a quote from photographer Richard Avedon."There's no such thing as objectivity. The minute you pick up the camera, you begin to lie -- or tell your own truth. It's not the camera that makes a good picture, but the eye and mind of the photographer ."Frolio leaves behind his wife, Marianne, and three children: Nicki, David and Carly.Jeff graduated from North High School and the University of Nebraska-Omaha.In his community, Frolio was a writer and actor, who just last month performed with the Florentine Players in a melodrama he wrote. He appeared as a villain. He has written and produced for the players annually.
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Video: Frolio's StoryInvestigators said the crash appears to be accidental and don't expect to ticket the driver. There is no evidence of excess speed or alcohol use, investigators said.Frolio was covering the story of two teens who were killed at that intersection last month. The speed limit of the highway is 60 miles an hour. The intersection is located on a hilltop and is heavily traveled.Frolio's camera marked the spot where the accident happened, just after 5 p.m. Police believe he was focused on a memorial left to the Elkhorn teens when he was hit."He was running across the street with his camera, I believe, to get more footage of the memorial," said Lt. Steve Glandt, with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.Frolio was stabilized by rescuers on the scene, but died later at Creighton University Medical Center.The mother of one of the Elkhorn teens happened by the scene. It was too much for her, and she collapsed and was taken to a hospital.Frolio was chosen as the Nebraska Television Photographer of the Year twice in his career.He began his career at KETV in 1984. His work locker proudly tracks his 22 years in photojournalism, including a quote from photographer Richard Avedon."There's no such thing as objectivity. The minute you pick up the camera, you begin to lie -- or tell your own truth. It's not the camera that makes a good picture, but the eye and mind of the photographer ."Frolio leaves behind his wife, Marianne, and three children: Nicki, David and Carly.Jeff graduated from North High School and the University of Nebraska-Omaha.In his community, Frolio was a writer and actor, who just last month performed with the Florentine Players in a melodrama he wrote. He appeared as a villain. He has written and produced for the players annually. Distributed by Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
